Mal Meninga: St Helens will always hold a special place in my heart and mind

Although time rolls on and plenty of success has come Saints’ way in the Super League era – the memories of Big Mal’s impact during the 1984-85 season still burn brightly for fans of a certain generation.

And there is a good reason for that, too, with Meninga’s arrival that autumn coming at a time when Saints had experienced a tough seven-year trophy drought from 1977 with crowds plummeting year-on-year to around the 3-4,000 mark.

They were tough times, but they say the darker the night the brighter the star – and none shone brighter than Meninga when he first strode out at Knowsley Road in October 1984 for his debut against Castleford.

Meninga and compatriot Phil Veivers slotted into Billy Benyon’s team featuring plenty of gifted, homegrown talent – Harry Pinner, Neil Holding, Graham Liptrot, Chris Arkwright, Barry Ledger, Steve Peters, Roy Haggerty et al.

His presence was the vital cog making the whole team purr, transforming it from nearly men to winners with a dashing brand of champagne rugby delivering two pots – the Lancashire Cup and the Premiership.

The current Australian national coach was at the Totally Wicked Stadium on Thursday as part of the build up to this autumn’s Rugby League World Cup But while he was here, he received his Heritage Certificate from Saints chairman Eamonn McManus – presented to him in the company of his former brothers in arms.

The long-striding powerhouse centre may have only played 31 times for Saints, but those days are indelibly etched into the town’s folklore and also recalled fondly by Meninga himself.

He said: “I am totally overwhelmed by the reaction every time I return to be honest.

“It is nearly 40 years ago and I only played here for just eight months.

“I knew nothing of the past history when I arrived, but I had a wonderful time here; the experience was great, the community was fantastic and I have fond memories of the people I played with.

“My time in St Helens will always hold a special place in my heart and my mind.”

Rugby league fans in Britain knew only too well what the big Queenslander would bring to the party, having witnessed his destructive powers as part of the Australian Invincibles who had gone through the 1982 tour of Britain and France undefeated.

The rest of the league had signed members of that Green and Gold machine on short term contracts – Peter Sterling had gone to Hull, Brett Kenny had joined Wigan and Leeds had signed Eric Grothe but Saints were content that they had got the pick of the bunch.

Mal Meninga's last Saints game at Knowsley Road. Pic: Eddie Whitham.

The fact that St Helens folk still tell Meninga tales - his 28 tries in 31 games, putting 2,500 on the average gates, that hand-off on Shaun Edwards, the two Elland Road intercepts, that shoulder into Garry Prohm’s midriff and the ending of the club’s silverware drought - underlines they had witnessed something special.

“The crowds bought into me; they made me feel welcome – it was reciprocated.

“It happened organically and I just loved being here and I didn’t want to let the people of St Helens down or my teammates.

“That is fundamental – that is why you play the game,” he said.

Meninga believes heading to south Lancashire, in the immediate aftermath of losing the Brisbane Grand Final 42-8 to Wally Lewis’ Wynnum Manly, was just the tonic he needed to build his confidence back up.

“I had had a bit of a tough period back home and came over to St Helens to build my confidence and it turns out I was not even in my prime as a player,” he said.

“I came over off the back of getting smashed in the Grand Final back home so my confidence was down. So coming here and the style of footy they play was a revelation for me.

“I really enjoyed that style and we scored a lot of points that year so it was a really fun time for me and the way the team played.

"They were all great players of that era. I came over to play my best and bought into everything that Billy Benyon and the team wanted to do.

"Within five games I was running around a packed Central Park with the Lancashire Cup after beating Wigan.”

Although Saints were denied in the Challenge Cup and the Championship by Hull KR, they finally got one over the Robins in the Premiership Final at Elland Road.

Meninga saved one of his best match-winning performances for his final match, with his two interceptions setting them on course for a 36-16 win over the champions.

But it was not just the big games that mattered for the man they dubbed Mighty Mal – but the camaraderie that was re-ignited when he met his ex-teammates Neil Holding, Graham Liptrot, Kevin Wellens, Paul Loughlin and Chris Arkwright.

“It is funny with footy. We don’t keep in contact but when we see each other you just go straight back into that bond and that friendship.

“It is a welcoming feeling and you know that you belong.

“Of course, you want to play in the big games, but week-to-week it was just the general lifestyle here that suited me and I loved everything about it,” he said.

Meninga had only been gone a few weeks when the chatter of when he would be back became the constant talk of the town.

And in the late 80s and early 90s, when full-time Wigan had a stranglehold on rugby league, the vision of Meninga striding on to the Knowsley Road turf in the red vee once more to be the saviour of the Saints was clung to more keenly than any comfort blanket.

The fact that this apparition never materialised was a source of regret from both sides – even if Meninga himself went on to achieve even greater things in skippering Canberra Raiders to the Premiership and the Australians to more Ashes success.

“My one true regret in rugby league was not coming back and having the opportunity to play for St Helens again,” he said.

“Playing at Saints was one of the best times of my career.

“I actually signed a contract to come back to St Helens in 1988 but unfortunately, I broke my arm which prevented me from coming back.

“Then Canberra Raiders, who I was playing with at the time, were going through a purple patch and I was the captain so it was hard to wrench myself away from there. It was the way the cards fell.

“There is something in the saying ‘Once a Saint always a Saint’ – I say it about the Raiders as well, wherever I go.

“I didn’t play for any other club – and was never going to do either if I had come back to England. Just as I didn’t play for any other club in Australia after Canberra.”

Meninga did grace Knowsley Road again – albeit wearing the green and gold of the Kangaroo tour matches of 1986, in which he scored, and 1990. And memories of the raucous reaction he received still sends goosebumps down the arms of many an old fan.

“I was probably a bit injured for that game in 86 but the coach said I should play - it was fun and I enjoyed it.

“The reception I received was great, but very humbling and a little embarrassing at times, but saying that I am very proud that I played for the club.

“The songs they sang to me rung a very emotional bell in my mind – 'Waltzing Meninga' and 'One Mal Meninga', and all those – it was fabulous. And I really loved that.” Meninga said.

Meninga will bring his Green and Golds to town on 29 October for the World Cup group game against Italy.